COVID-related recalls accounted for 37% of all recall efforts in both 2020 and 2021. Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach. Throughout my life, I have been an active participant in my community. Contact info: pschmitz06@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/PaulaSchmitzCampaign; 262-490-7048, Address:N56 W35146 Pondview Lane,Oconomowoc, Past political experience:Current board member. Wenn Sie Ihre Auswahl anpassen mchten, klicken Sie auf Datenschutzeinstellungen verwalten. The girl succumbed to social isolation first and bullying and feeling left out through social media next. The candidates are (top row, left to right): Andrew Anderson, Neal Ninmann (i), Sandy . Waukesha County was home to 395,118 residents in 2014, according to the United States Census Bureau. The board is much more stable now than it was back then. The board filled the three vacant seats in Septemberby appointing Neal Ninmann, former board member Sandy Schick and Chad Schraufnagel. Application Contact Phone. 6 Marquette edges St. John's, Illinois judge strikes down state's ban on high-powered guns, Tom Sizemore, 'Saving Private Ryan' actor, dies at 61, Stocks rally Friday, close out their first winning week in last 4, Five Points Pub closes for renovations, hotel still open, Oconomowoc Area School Board appoints 3 new members after resignations, Crash victim brought light to many around the country, Waukesha business owner sexually assaulted in store, Babes Pizza and Chicken to open next week in Mukwonago, A battle simmers in Illinois over plans to pipe in and store millions of tons of planet-warming carbon dioxide underground. [1], The recall effort began when recall supporters filed paperwork with the school district on September 17, 2020. Schraufnagel:If I am elected, I will continue to prioritize the following: 1.) Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. "If we really start making things contentious, people are going to walk away and go, 'I cant take this anymore,'" he said. I am excited to continue the momentum that the board has established. While Herro, who co-owns a manufacturing business, said shes used to discord and disrespect as a woman in a male-dominated workforce, the onslaught of anger directed at her and other members was staggering. We are doing it in many areas already. Both in-person and virtual schooling should be available as a choice for families to accommodate students needs and those of their loved ones. A majority voted to keep requiring masks indoors through the end of the year, though kids could ditch them when they were outside. The impact of an amazing teacher is immeasurable, and weve all had teachers in our past that were less than exceptional. Now, nearly half the board is vacant, with some major decisions ahead. ContactEvan Frank at (262) 361-9138or evan.frank@jrn.com. Now, nearly half the board is . For more spring 2022 election coverage,click here. My main reason for applying was to bring stability and history to the table. As a board our priorities are driven by our strategic plan and I will continue to support that plan. Culture war battles in local school boards aren't slowing down Our actions have an impact. SHARE. Tony Evers statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. My heart sunk. As a former VP of a college, I know the debate around in-person versus virtual creates opportunity for innovation. Boards are set up to handle policy issues like setting the annual budget while school officials are typically tasked with day-to-day operations, making decisions based on what theyre seeing in classrooms and running them by the board for approval as needed. Michael Ford, a professor of public administration at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh and a member of the Oshkosh City Council, said theres a concept called "school board capture" that refers to boards being overtaken by interest groups a union, for example, or particular business interests. Here's who's running for office in Lake Country during this spring's 2986-Oconomowoc Town Police Dept-Police Officer | WILENET Three of the seven seats on the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin were up for at-large general election on April 3, 2018. In total, there are four seats up for election this year, and six candidates running. Roehl said the climate surrounding school board meetings has become polarizing amid the pandemic and debates over safety. Here's what we know about how the Oconomowoc Area School District is Divisive, bullying, partisan tactics are among the reasons why three Oconomowoc Area School Board members said they resigned. "We will use mandated masking as a layered mitigation strategy when our data proves it necessary," said Dr. Kristen Taylor, interim superintendent. We no longer employ consultants to work with the board on how to be board members. In 2020, there were 87 COVID-related recalls against 89 officials, and in 2021, there were 131 against 214 officials. Did you know we were one of the few districts in the state that increased student performance last year during COVID? From my perspective as a board member, to ensure that we are not putting our students at risk, a soft launch to the school year will provide greater clarity as to the effects of the virus when our students are back in session. In a democratic society, we will agree and disagree on different matters, and that is healthy;variety of perspectives enriches the board. The board voted 4-3 to choose him over Grothaus, who had served in the role for the year prior. Phone. Schweitzer said she ran agrassroots, parent- and taxpayer-focused campaign. Collected signatures for speedier repairs of the pavement in the parking lot across the street from the Post Office, which was in the core area of downtown Oconomowoc, full of potholes. All three are up for election April 5. OCONOMOWOC - Oconomowoc Area School Board member Scott Roehl announced via his candidacy Facebook page that he would be resigning from his seat on the board due to his family moving out of . They'll be posting those vacancies immediately. NOW: Oconomowoc School Board meets following abrupt resignation of 3 members NEXT: OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Oconomowoc Area School District Board met Wednesday night, Aug. 18,. Oconomowoc School Board hires Elmbrook's Michael Sereno as next [5], Steitzer's term on the board expired in April 2021, and Herro's and Roehl's terms expired in April 2022.[1]. This can be accomplished by using the Strategic Plan. There is a place for some virtual learning, but I will always work with our district to provide in-person learning whenever possible. Elections in 2023 | The work to avoid faction-based political infighting starts now. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. In a statement, the trio wrote, "The OASD board has now been dragged into partisan culture wars by some members of the board" saying "Board work has become toxic and impossible to do.". Counties | Oconomowoc Area School District Wi - schoolslearning.info The community has referenced that a large majority of families elected to start school in a full face-to-face model. Oconomowoc Area School District, on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, the following offices are to be elected to succeed the present incumbents listed. We can always do more and better in supporting studentswellness. In addition, their negligence to ensure that the district provides the best educational opportunities to maximize the achievement of our students will have significant and lasting effects on our community. The board has turned a corner and is really moving forward. As a mother of two high-schoolers, an educator, and an online course developer in health and wellness, I have been researching programs and interventions used successfully by other districts that we can bring to the OASD to support students who are hurting. Parents filled the Oconomowoc School Board meeting. To do this we need focus on excellence, celebrate our successes, and create an overall district that people see as the best overall option for their students. Tony Evers' statewide mask mandate was overturned, the Oconomowoc school board took up the issue. Kim Kaukl, president of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, said his member districts mostly opened fully in-person right away last school year largely because limited access to the internet meant virtual learning wasnt feasible. "That began a tremendous attack on the board at that point about not having the kids full five days a week face-to-face, back in the schools.". FOX6 News reached out to all three former members but none were available for an interview Monday. The effort failed after the group did not get enough signatures. This is a decrease from both 2020 and 2021. We need to put our students holistic well-being as our top priority, build consensusand move schools forward. Oconomowoc was one of the only schools to raise student scores during the pandemic. After the fourth member left, I decided to run for election in April. Around the same time, a group of parents chased the school board around the hallways of Burlington High School after the unruly crowd forced the suspension of a meeting. Schmitz:I believe in democracy and diversity. "I have worked on behalf of good government, and am proud of the work I have spearheaded and accomplished in my time on the board," Steitzer stated. Were losing some really good people because of the contentiousness, and Im concerned that we may lose some more teachers in the process, or more administrators, that we already know we have a shortage of. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and The OASD School Board holds a regular monthly meeting on the third Wednesday of each month at the Oconomowoc High Schoo East Campus, starting at 6:30 p.m. >> Click here for the 2021-22 Regular School Board Meeting Schedule Many Wisconsin School Boards, Overwhelmed By 18 Months Of Community Place An Ad - Call 262-306-5000/email: Conleyclass@conleynet.com, Three Oconomowoc School Board members resign, cite toxic board behavior, Cite hyper political, partisan culture as reason for stepping down, Submit an Obituary Wash. & Oz. I started to become interested in the school board position last year during the recall. The county seat is Waukesha. I am currently a human resources director for a company in Merton. The Oconomowoc School Board saw lots of turnover in 2021, as four of its members resigned or left. "I had people calling me up and screaming at me, people that have known me almost my whole life, parents calling up and saying 'You are making my kids wear masks, youre doing hybrid, youre bad people,'" she said. Herro was in the last year of her term, which expired April 2022. SHARE. [1], Herro said it was the community's right to issue a recall. I was so disappointed that at many of these meetings there was no opportunity for the community to speak. The difference is in the approach. I will continue this trend of performance if electedto the board in April. Some of the activities include Boy Scouts, robotics, band, choir, theater, soccer, ski team, gymnastics, track, tennis, and we even hosted quite a few exchange students. State legislature | Incumbents Dave Guckenberger and Steve Zimmer faced challengers Kim Verhein Herro, Jason Kelly and James Wood in a primary election on February 16, 2016. Ballotpedia tracked 29 school board recall efforts against 64 board members in 2020. This enrollment out is currently larger than our enrollment in and every time that happens, we have fewer resources to work with. This is where all of the OASD Board of Education videos will be posted. 37214 Delafield Rd , Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9101 is a single-family home listed for rent at /mo. Stay up-to-date on all the latest Oconomowoc-area news with a subscription: Click here. Kim Verhein Herro - Ballotpedia Since there is no ability to engage in meaningful dialogue, even on the issue of the health and safety of our students and staff, we cannot be part of an organization that is so non-responsive to every constituents concerns, not just a minority segment, and is so cavalier about our students, staffs and communitys health and safety, the letter states. She said the reason was to cheer up one of them who had lost a 13-year-old niece to suicide. DIGITAL ONLY: JUST $5 PER MONTH All Rights Reserved. Sell the old Meadow View to fulfill the promise of the past board. 3 Oconomowoc school board members resign, major decisions ahead - WITI supports HTML5 video. "The main qualification of a school board member and I say this as a local elected official is you got one more vote than the other person. Steitzer became a board member in 2018 and said this year's election became overwhelmingly partisan. Oconomowoc school board approves plan making face masks - CBS58 more, Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch resigned from the board, filled the three vacant seats in September, Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The chart below compares coronavirus-related recalls to recalls for all other reasons in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Voters in the Oconomowoc, Shorewood and North Lake school districts Just weeks from the first day of classes, and in the early stage of its superintendent search, the Oconomowoc Area School Board is down to four members after Kim Herro, Dan Raasch and Rick Grothaus resigned Sunday. [2] [3] Results General election Job Openings at Weigel Broadcasting Milwaukee. Kim Herro, Rick Grothaus and Dan Raasch had been trying to change the boards approach to governance and leadership, which they felt was toxic and made it impossible to collaboratively work on solutions, for over a year. Watch Oconomowoc Area School District's Oconomowoc Area School District Board of Education Meetings on Livestream.com. School board members around the state who supported phased returns to the classroom and disease mitigation efforts like masks and social distancing have faced vitriolic school board meetings, recall attempts, election challenges and threats over the past 18 months. Oconomowoc has had an optional mask policy since the start of the 2021-2022 school year. I dont have a medical background, but I do have a background in leveraging subject matter expertise to make tough decisions. "We should learn from districts that have suffered the death of a child and then changed their policy," said parent Natalie McAndrew. However, we need to respect those who choose to still wear a mask. The letter states that the three members are also concerned about how Interim Superintendent Kristen Taylor and remaining board members are responding to the pandemic. There are six candidates for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board. The first question asks for $38.65 million for several projects . There is a list of health precautions including daily sanitizing of . Recall supporters said they did not agree with the decision and wanted students to have in-person learning five days a week. Schools should be a haven for students, a springboard for each one of them to become the best version of themselves in service to others. James Wood (Wisconsin) - Ballotpedia Schools | City of Oconomowoc, WI - Official Website An effort to recall three of the seven members of the Oconomowoc Area School District school board in Wisconsin did not go to a vote in 2020. 2.) Ninmann:I am currently serving as an appointed member of the board since September 2021. "Were losing some really good people because of the contentiousness, and Im concerned that we may lose some more teachers in the process, or more administrators, that we already know we have a shortage of.". So it's important to look at vaccination rates and where new cases are popping up. Wood said the current HVAC system at Oconomowoc High School is from the 1960s and not up to today's . He said what boards are seeing with COVID-19 disputes is similar, but with a key difference. 2021-22 OCONOMOWOC AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT CALENDAR (PDF LINK) 2022-2023 oconomowoc area school district website Jessica Karnowski - Ballotpedia 6 Marquette edges St. John's, Crime Stoppers: Dispute on city bus leads to shooting, CBS 58's Feel Good Friday: Free zoo admission, inflatable animals and more. I would have run then, but I wanted to make sure that the candidates I supported were elected (they did) and I didnt want to dilute the votes we needed. Anderson:We all hope to get back to life as it was before masks. "[1], In reaction to the recall effort, Roehl said he preferred a face-to-face model as well. What a blessing this would be for parents! "Weve got some young people, students who have gotten up and spoken in front of the board on the importance of being in school face-to-face, and then you have adults who are bullying them and cheering them," he said. The effort against members Juliet Steitzer, Kim Herro, and Scott Roehl began on September 17, 2020. "I think a lot of members of the public dont understand that.". Kim Kaukl, of the Wisconsin Rural Schools Alliance, said he got frustrated watching school board meetings where adults talked about what they thought was best for students, but didnt always listen to the students themselves. 'The Culture Became Caustic,' Said One Board Member. Counties, Kam Jones scores 23 as No. We hope the time will soon come again when it is possible to work together collaboratively for the good of our community and its children and stop letting the distractions and personal political agendas take us off that course.. Choose Select a Calendar to view a specific calendar. Youre not an expert on everything, youre not there to manage the day-to-day operations of the district.". Supporting teachers is the first step towardbringing stability. Six candidates are running for four seats on Oconomowoc School Board Oconomowoc Public Education Foundation (OPEF). "I have gotten to know many people in our beautiful Oconomowoc area, and I would not trade this experience for anything. View more property details, sales history and Zestimate data on Zillow. Address: N56 W35146 Pondview Lane, Oconomowoc Past political experience: Current board member Community involvement: Current school board member, former Oconomowoc rec league coach.. In previous decades, concerns about the teaching of sex education and evolution, as well as issues like school vouchers, have prompted angry public discourse and division among school board members. The Oconomowoc Area School District is located in Waukesha County in southeastern Wisconsin. Federal courts | The school board recall success rate was 7.8%. Jennifer Eldredge - MC-EA Bilingual Educator - School District of Oconomowoc Area School District: School Board Oconomowoc Area School District recall, Wisconsin (2020) The board must focus on strategic alignment driving results and opportunity for students, teachers and parents. James Wood took over as the Oconomowoc School Board president following the 2021 election, in which he was elected to a second term after receiving Kleefisch's support. Jessica Karnowski for Oconomowoc School Board | Oconomowoc WI - Facebook "The kids recognized that this was an important part of them staying healthy, because they didnt want to miss their sports and their other activities and school, they didnt want to miss the end of the year activities.". Steitzer was one of three current school board members that the groupOconomowoc Citizens Represented attempted to recall in September. 3.) If we fail to support the best teachers, then we will miss them when they are gone. After 19 years on the Board, my experience can help with boardsmanship, general knowledge, history and more. Schraufnagel:Masks should remain optional. Three Oconomowoc School Board members resign as board 'dragged into More: Candidates for Oconomowoc mayor share views on growing inflation, infrastructure and public safety. Oconomowoc Area School District: School Year Calendar. After considering 29 candidates, interviewing six and then selecting three of those six as finalists, the Oconomowoc School Board has selected the Oconomowoc Area School District's next. 4.) Mar 24, 2022 Updated Mar 24, 2022. Schweitzer, who was a newcomer to running for school board, said she loved the process of campaigning. Kaukl worries that in addition to the health impacts to kids and staff, the vicious disagreements and overriding of best practices around health will drive out the people who keep schools up and running. I was part of that majority. Schick:I applied for the school board vacancy when the three board members resigned. [1][2] They were unable to collect enough signatures by the deadline. Six candidates square off for four seats on the Oconomowoc School Board Continue to implement our district strategic plan and our athletic strategic plan. "For those who voted for my message I say thank you," Schweitzer said. Then in November, board member Scott Roehl left after moving out of the district and saying in a Facebook post that he and his family did not feel safe in their home. [7] The district was the 30th-largest school district in the state in the 2013-2014 school year and served 5,224 students. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. The current board follows a policy and governance model that has helped our district move forward. "Anytime you try to make a change we went to block scheduling, we might have done a little grading change your boardroom fills," said Phillips. Schmitz:As an educator and wellness researcher, I believe there are negative effects to breathing inside a mask. Its not a question of which is better;its about innovation to give parents, studentsand teachers a choice. Oconomowoc's school board voted virtually Tuesday night to hold face-to-face classes in the fall with a couple alternatives. TWEET. I have no personal agenda and will work solely for the community, parents and our students. To read about other recall efforts related to the coronavirus and government responses to the pandemic, click here. There are examples of other districts offering course credit for extra-curriculars and this innovative strategy helps to reduce expenses while also increasing scope and depth of viable opportunities for students. When three school board members in Oconomowoc resigned together on Monday, it wasnt solely because of board disputes over COVID-19. Nondiscrimination: The Oconomowoc Area School District provides assurance that no student is discriminated against because of the student's sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability. Oconomowoc School Board meets following abrupt resignation of 3 - CBS58 In-person learning includes more than book learning, like social interaction, dedicated learning spaces (not dining room tables)and much more. | Click here to contact our editorial staff, and click here to report an error. ", RELATED:Two incumbents ousted in a Waukesha School Board race partly defined by unrest over virtual learning. Ninmann:The most important initiative for me as a board member is to remain a functional and cohesive board that acts collectively in the best interest of students, the community, teachers and administration. I am running to continue to move our school district in the positive direction. After results came in, Steitzer released a message on her school boardFacebook page. Recall supporters had 60 days to collect signatures from citizens in the school district. Board members say the data has changed since they moved to a mask-optional policy as of last month. I led program development initiatives expanding outreach, involvement, and resources for both students and . Thiel:I attended meetings before the resignations and after the resignations. OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Dozens of Oconomowoc area school district parents are getting heated on the issue of face masks. He said the remaining board would move forward constructively. Are we using it? Oconomowoc School District Threatens Parent With Defamation Lawsuit Vacating their seats are Rick Grothaus, Kim Herro and Dan Raasch. [3][4], The recall effort started after the school board voted 5-2 in August 2020 to approve a blend of virtual and in-person learning for students returning to school for the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. questioned one parent. The OASD School Board voted to authorize both referendum questions at the Jan. 18 meeting. The number of signatures needed was equal to 25% of the votes cast within the school district in the 2018 gubernatorial election.[1]. Schmitz:Based on the priorities I outlined in my previous answer, I am developing a proposal, a comprehensive plan that includes creative and innovative programs, initiatives and strategies to meet the needs of our students after the pandemic. Since September, our board meetings have been productive, we no longer employ consultants to help us get along, we have hired a new superintendent and we were one of the only schools to improve scores during the pandemic by keeping kids in the classroom as much as possible. Schick:Our resilient district has improved our ability to provide virtual learning during the challenges of the COVID pandemic. I wanted to make sure someone stood up to take accountability and I was most nervous about our district losing talented teachers. Hopefully our community will rise up and demand to hire a quality superintendent who can provide enough positive leadership to overcome the current state of leadership for the district, the letter states. "We are going to still going to continue to maintain, continue to work and continue to do what we can to make the Oconomowoc Area School District an unrivaled place and an unrivaled educational environment," said Roehl.
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